30 people detained by ICE at gun manufacturer in Sanford

At least 30 people were taken into custody in Sanford on Tuesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said.

The operation was conducted at Bear Creek Arsenal, a gun manufacturing company in Sanford, and was the result of an ongoing investigation that dealt with identity theft and fraud, authorities said.

Bear Creek issued the following statement:

The company said that Homeland Security confirmed Bear Creek’s Human Resource Department “complied with all laws, rules and regulations” in their hiring practices.

Officials did not know how long the people will be held in custody.

“What I want Lee County residents to know is that this was not a random operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Lee County,” the sheriff said in a statement. “This was the result of an ongoing investigation by Immigration and Customs and isolated to one location.​”

“ICE makes arrests daily as part of targeted immigration enforcement efforts,” a spokesperson for ICE Public Affairs told WRAL News.